


Brighter Days

by tae_mmk



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Angst, M/M, disabled!Hinata, im sorry, kagehina if u rly look for it, this is so bad omg
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-07-08
Updated: 2016-07-08
Packaged: 2018-07-22 06:10:21
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,341
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7423120
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tae_mmk/pseuds/tae_mmk
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>He couldn't move his legs. He had tried. He had screamed, screamed for them to work, just /work/, but they didn't. And, according to the doctor, they never would.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Brighter Days

Tears poured down his cheeks. He didn't want to cry, he hated crying, but he couldn't help it. He couldn't move his legs. He had tried. He had screamed, screamed for them to work, just /work/, but they didn't. And, according to the doctor, they never would.

Never, ever again. His whole body shook with his sobs (Except his legs-- /never/ his legs). His mother and Natsu were crying, too.

That night was the longest of Hinata's life. It was also the worst day of Hinata's life.

A couple days later, the whole volleyball team visited him. They were all so cautious around him, like he might break. Hinata hated it. 

It was awkward. Suga gave him sad smiles, and Tanaka and Noya had lost their usual energy. Tsukishima didn't make a single comment. The usually happy Yachi was forcing a smile through tears. Kageyama didn't call him a dumbass once.

He hated, hated, hated it.

They talked about nothing, because what was there to talk about? His legs didn't work. He couldn't even walk. There was no question of when he'd get better. He'd never get better. 

He'd never be able to play volleyball again.

Hinata /hated/ crying.

The team group-hugged Hinata. Tsukishima didn't join in, which at least gave Hinata a sense of familiarity.

Noya and Tanaka sniffed as tears fell down their cheeks. They didn't try to hide it, like Kageyama did. Most of the team was crying, anyway.

They stayed hugged together, crying for a while.

Hinata tried to smile. "I'll still come to all of the games, so you guys better not slack off!"

Daichi nodded. "We won't."

The rest of the team hummed in agreement.

Suga left some flowers with Hinata, and a 'get well soon' card. Hinata thanked him, and soon everyone had left his room. 

He didn't cry anymore. He picked up a pencil and some paper and started to draw, just to get everything off of his mind. He drew the team, volleyballs, crows.  
He drew until he fell asleep.

***

Tsukishima was whispering to Yamaguchi about Hinata, volleyball, crows. He had never liked Hinata very much, but he would've traded places with the optimistic boy in a heartbeat. The redhead used his legs more than anyone. Tsukishima didn't know how he'd live in a wheelchair.

Yamaguchi listened to Tsukishima, but he remained silent. He felt sick, but not the kind of sick he felt before he served. That kind of sickness had a hint of hopefulness to it. This feeling of sickness felt empty. 

The rest of the team felt the same as Yamaguchi. Noya and Tanaka had started crying again. Tanaka cursed between sobs. Daichi rubbed Asahi's back, trying to comfort him. 

Suga stood by Kageyama. Kageyama insisted that he wanted to be left alone, but Suga refused. "You're coming home with me tonight, okay?"

Kageyama shook his head no. He knew that if he spoke it would be broken, so he didn't try.

"Yes, you are. You know I can't leave you by yourself." Suga said it with such finality that Kageyama stopped trying to argue. 

Most of the team stayed the night at each other's houses. None of them wanted to be left alone with their thoughts.

At Suga's house, Kageyama didn't say much. He didn't eat. He eventually fell asleep.

When Suga was sure that Kageyama wouldn't wake up for a while, he let a few tears fall. He knew he had to be strong, but it was so hard. The team relied on the third years. He couldn't let them know that he was just as scared as them.

Scared for the team, scared for Hinata, scared for himself.

***

A week later, Hinata came to practice in a wheelchair. He smiled at the team as he said hello. His smile wasn't as bright as it used to be. The whole team noticed. The absence of the orange haired boy's excitement hit everyone hard.

He talked to Coach Ukai while the team practiced. The team threw glances over to the coach and their teammate often, but no one approached them.

"I don't want to quit," Hinata said.

Ukai wasn't surprised. Hinata was determined. He'd find a way to walk again if it meant he could play.

"I know I can't play anymore." Saying it out loud made it feel final. Hinata paused and took a shaky breath. "All I've been doing in my hospital room is drawing and looking up volleyball plays. I know we already have two managers, but I could be a secretary, or something, or an assistant coach, or--"

"You'll always be a part of this team, Hinata. Don't worry."

Hinata looked relieved. "T-thank you! I'll do anything you need, I swear!"

"I'll get you whenever I need something," he said, with a small laugh.

"Uh... Is it okay if I just--um, watch practice?"

"'Course! Just watch out for volleyballs."

Hinata nodded his head violently, and rolled away to the corner of the gym. 

He had brought a sketchbook with him. He scribbled in it during the practice, occasionally glancing up at his teammates.

At the end of practice, Kageyama asked to see what he was drawing. Hinata showed it to him, nervousness written all over his face. Kageyama grabbed the sketchbook and looked at it.

The page was filled with crows. They all had haircuts that definitely weren't natural for crows. Kageyama recognized Noya's haircut, and realized that each crow represented a teammate.

Noya jumped up and grabbed the notebook from Kageyama's hands. 

"Oi!" Kageyama said, but the short second year ignored him. 

Noya stared at the drawing for a second, then busted out laughing. He faced the notebook to Hinata and pointed at the crow with a spiky hair cut. "Is that me? Ha! That's great, Shouyou!" He looked back at the drawing and pointed to an angry-looking bird. "Is that Kageyama? Oh my /god/!" He burst into laughter again. Tanaka joined him when he saw the drawing. 

Soon, the whole team was laughing and pointing out the crow with Asahi's hair, or the crow with no feathers on it's head at all. 

"Seriously, this is awesome," Noya said, "I declare this official artwork of the Karasuno volleyball team."

The whole team agreed. Hinata blushed--it wasn't that good, really-- but the team would have none of it. They taped it up on the locker room door.

Every time they walked in or out of the locker room, someone would smile at the artwork. It made Hinata feel proud. He kept drawing pictures of the team, crows, or anything related to volleyball. They all loved the artwork. Noya deemed almost every piece 'official artwork'. 

Despite the praise for his drawings, Hinata missed volleyball. He still hit the ball up and down by himself sometimes. He missed the 'uwah!' feeling he got when he spiked the ball perfectly, but the feeling he got when Noya said that his artwork was official wasn't that much different.

Hinata felt like he was part of the team again, and although it was different from before, he didn't think he minded that much.

***

He rolled to the bench, to watch the game from the sidelines. The team greeted him happily. 

They huddled on the court. Hinata joined them, because he's a part of the team. They would've pushed him into the huddle if he refused, anyway (He'd learned this through past experience).

Daichi says a few encouraging words, and then the huddle breaks. Hinata knows he's getting a lot of stares as he rolls his wheelchair back to the bench--a person in a wheelchair doesn't exactly fit in on a volleyball court--but he doesn't care. All he cares about is his team. They've trained so hard for this--Hinata just /knows/ they'll win. He's helped them with strategies, and he's ready to provide all the encouragement the team needs.

The referee blows the whistle, and the game begins. 

Kageyama looks at Hinata before the serve comes over. He's smiling wide.

It's a bright day today.

**Author's Note:**

> this is so awful and probably ooc asf whoops


End file.
